SHOESday: Trip Trip Trippen Along

We went to Melbourne for the Australia Day long weekend, just gone.  We had a great little apartment in the city (Flinders Lane, for those in the know).  Perfect location.

Especially when I discovered what was just around the corner...Sole Devotion!  I nearly hyperventilated when I saw it.  Especially when I saw the big "SALE" balloons in the window.

And of course I made a purchase!

I was so pleased to find these in this great metallic - not too shiny, goes with everything kinda colour.  I was very tempted by a similar pair with a piece of leather knitted fabric going from the toe strap up to the ankle strap - and they were called "Knit" - but decided that these were more classic.

I am so very pleased with my new shoes! 

And apart from a horrible 10 minutes on the plane during takeoff on the way down, during which he screamed and thrashed about, Connor travelled very well.  But for that 10 minutes, I think I deserved a new pair of shoes, heh!

SHOESday: Parity Party!

So for the last month or so, Australians who like to buy stuff on the internet from the US have been having a bit of a parity party, because our dollar has been close to, at or even over the US dollar! I don't know if this has ever happened since our dollar was floated! (It definitely wasn't when husby and I were in the US a few years ago - I think our dollar bought about US0.75 - bummer!)

I thought about buying lots of yarn but I refrained. I am so strong! (heh!!)

But I did buy a pair of shoes - they really were a bargain! And have a return shipping address in Australia in the event they don't fit. Lucky I don't need it!

I normally don't go for shoes with a lot of white on them - except for sneakers.

But I reckon these qualify as sneakers - wedge heeled sneakers! Ha! I love them! So comfortable! Just like sneakers but a teeny bit more dressy - and can be worn with a skirt, weeeeee!

SHOESday: itty bitty

Bells' post today (which you must check out if you haven't already!) gave me an idea. Even if I am no longer buying new shoes (much...) I have some other new shoes I can show off:

Are these not the coolest little boy shoes ever!! (For my American friends, Dunlop Volleys are Australian made tennis shoes - since 1939 - that are so daggy that they are cool again. Although not as cool as Converse All-Stars) (I'm not sure if there is a UK equivalent?)

These were a gift from my second baby shower (now I really really feel spoilt saying that - as if one shower wasn't enough, which it totally was!). Rather than bore you all with even more stuff, you can check out the rest of the loot here on flickr if you wish!

Although I will leave you with a picture of one other gift.

I don't know whether it's a good or bad thing that apparently this is an essential for new mothers!!!

I promise there will be actual knitting content coming up on this blog soon!

SHOESday: 1 in 12

Last Thursday started innocently enough ... DrK came up to Sydney for the day (and night), we met up in Kinokuniya (and did not buy any knitting books) and went to SnB. And it all went up from there!

Margarita arrived and was wearing the MOST DIVINE shoes! OMG! Red! Patent! Criss-cross straps! All things I cannot resist! And when we found out she bought them from the nearby Camper store, on sale, DrK and I looked at the shoes, looked at each other, and almost agreed telepathically that we were heading there when SnB finished (well, the first half of SnB, before we change locations to a nearby hotel bar).

With almost indecent haste, we packed up our knitting and almost ran to the Camper store. And when we spotted the Shoes, I think choirs of angels were heard in the background. They had the Shoes! In both our sizes!

And I knew immediately that they would be mine.

DrK, although she felt the same love, took a little more convincing. I discovered from the sales assistant that the two pairs of the Shoes (in our sizes!) were the last ones in Australia, and that Australia had only been sent 12 pairs of these Shoes in all. So whispers of "1 in 12", "practically unique", "red!" "patent" and the like, accompanied with much giggling like a schoolgirl, ensured that we both left the store accompanied by a bag each with the Shoes!

So good! So red! So patent! So comfortable! So cool! So goes with everything!

So excellent.

SHOESday: I'll get you my pretties!

Fortunately I didn't have to drop my house on the Wicked Witch of the East to do so!

I first saw these on a blog (I think) of someone in the US (I think...I really can't remember who!). Then I saw them again on Gidget's Socks, and she was kind enough to tell me where she bought them - and so of course I was there in a flash! A sparkly red glittery flash! Even my husband said "oh yes, you HAD to have those!" when I showed them to him!

And I've worn them every time I've gone out of the house since I got them! Ruby slippers for the 21st century woman!

SHOESday: I told you...

Last week, you'll remember I told you patience IS a virtue.

And one that will be rewarded!

Here's the second pair of shoes I bought on sale:

Yes, a size up from my regular size so that I could wear them with socks (handknit of course!)

They are SO COMFORTABLE and provide a much dressier shoe than the others I bought specifically to wear with socks.

And they remind me so much of my highland dancing shoes (you probably didn't know I did highland, or Scottish, dancing when I was a kid). I always love the dancing shoes with the cris-crossing elastic, and particularly always wanted a pair I could wear around like regular shoes.

Well now I have them. And I am most pleased! In fact, I'm seriously thinking of buying another pair for when these ones wear out!!

SHOESday: Patience IS a virtue!

When I finished work a few months ago, I figured I'd buy myself a pair of shoes to celebrate. I had two pairs of shoes in mind, both flats (very practical for a non-working person!) but just couldn't decide between them. So I decided to wait. And hope that they'd go on sale.

Well, my patience was rewarded. Both pairs of shoes, on sale, half price! And in the correct sizes!

So here's pair #1.

These had their first outing today (yes, another knitting playdate!).

Today, with jeans, but think they'll also be great with a skirt.

The colour isn't quite right, they are a fabulous purple suede.

A bit girly, and a lot of fun!

SHOESday: Orange you glad I went to Tasmania!

Of course you are! Why?

Because you know how you can buy stuff on holidays because they count as souvenirs? Well, that means more shoes for me!

I found these at a little shop in Ulverstone, which I went into a whim after a succesful yarn store visit (thanks to Tinkingbell - what a surprise!). A little gem of a store, with some great boots, heels and comfy shoes.

Since I'm being practical right now, it's all about the comfy, but I think a bit funky, shoe that I can wear with jeans. And handknitted socks, preferably.

As you know, I'm having a bit of a love affair with orange lately, so when I saw these, I had to try them on. And then they were SO COMFORTABLE that I was sold. Oh, ok, I know, I was sold on a pair of shoes before I even walked in the store!

But you know what? I don't really have any (handknitted) socks that match these shoes! Guess that's just a good excuse to buy more yarn...

But that's a story for another day!

SHOESday: Did you miss me?

You know, I thought I'd run out of shoes to post. I tossed up about coming clean on the blog or just to stop posting and see if anyone noticed ... but not one single comment (well, except from Bells, my twin!).

And then I realised I did have a pair to flash - and no, they aren't new!! I bought them nearly 4 years ago in Singapore - I had the choice of a handbag (which was fabulous, although somewhat impractical, I have to admit) or these shoes.

I think I made the right choice!

I love the detail on the heel - really most excellent shoes!

SHOESday: Out with the old, in with the new

Forgive me my chipped nailpolish in this photo - a bit like 2008, it's getting old and tired. Perhaps I should freshen it up tomorrow in time for the arrival of 2009.

Then they will match my shoes - nice and new and ready for action! I had half an hour to shop today in the sales before lunch with friends and was very happy to find these in my size!

SHOESday: Merry Christmas!

When is a shoe not a shoe?

When it's a stocking!

Hope you all have a joyful and relaxing Christmas or whatever holiday you choose to celebrate or enjoy at the end of this week!

SHOESday: Special Guest Appearance #2

This week, SHOESday is brought to you by my friend Ms S, who wore these fabulous shoes to work last week for our team Christmas party.

Are they not superfantastic!

I had to feature them - particularly because, as you might have noticed, I'm running out of shoes of my own.

These are so fabulously made - not sure if you can see, but the leather sole continues ever so slightly up the sides of the foot, with the seam at the top - so unusual and evidence of a real eye for detail in the designer, I think.

Really very very delicious!

SHOESday: mmmm comfortable

So as of this evening, I am officially on holidays until early January! Woo hoo!

But don't get too jealous - the rest of this week will be spent packing, ready to move to our new house next Monday. And then the rest of next week will be spent unpacking and putting stuff away. And probably changing my mind about where to put stuff so re-putting it away. And moving furniture. And re-moving it. And maybe moving it again.

But I'm not complaining, not really. I can't wait to be in our new place!

And what's this to do with SHOESday?

Because these are the shoes I'll be wearing most for the next 4 weeks:

I bought these birks on my first trip to Europe, way back in 1996 (before husby and I were married even!). We did an organised tour, and one of the American girls bought a pair in Germany. I thought they were so great, I had to have a pair too. But by that time we'd left Germany, so I picked these up in Switzerland. I've got a great photo of us lying upside down on a lounge with our feet in the air, flashing our birks!

And you know I can't just have a pair in one colour, here's the alternate (bought these ones in Singapore about 3 years ago):

Ok, pick yourselves up off the floor - I don't wear fancy schmancy heels all the time!!

SHOESday: summer! finally summer!

The arrival of December means summer has now officially started - and with it, finally, some warm weather! Huzzah!

And that means I can break out the summer slippers! I know, they're thongs, but they are slipper thongs. In red! With a flower! But of course!

SHOESday: a pair a day for a whole year!

What could be better than a SHOESday post every week?

Why, a pair of shoes every day for a year!

I've been buying these calendars every year for the past 3 years - this year my mum bought the 2009 calendar for me for my birthday (thanks Mum!). I keep them at work to share the shoe love with my colleagues (all of whom happen to be women!)

Each year the calendar features shoes from a different museum or personal collection. Not mine though. I guess because I don't have enough pairs for a whole year!! Hmm, perhaps I'd better work on that ...

SHOESday: Storage Solutions

It interests me that people think that because I have lots of shoes that I have great shoe storage as well. I only wish I did!! My dream is to one day have my very own shoe wardrobe, preferably as part of a walk-in wardrobe the size of a small room.

But since we've just bought our forever house, and it doesn't have a walk-in wardrobe or the room to put one in (unless we build a second storey...) I guess this will always remain a dream.

But I'll flash the shoe storage I do have - it's not very exciting, but it works!

The "good" shoes are in their shoe sleeping bags in their boxes - under the wardrobe (I have a lovely antique 3 door cedar wardrobe, which I love!):
Also in the wardrobe under the hanging space:

And again in the wardrobe, sharing the jumper space:
The everyday shoes are in bigger boxes under the bed:
Like this:
So not very glamorous but at least not all over the bedroom floor (like they used to be...). How do you store your shoes?

SHOESday: Confessions

I have a confession to make.

Remember how I bought new shoes last week?

Well, I might have bought two pairs...

In my defence, this pair was for husby to give to me for my birthday. And how could I leave these behind - look at that cool cut-out in the wedge heel!!And I have no tan summer shoes! So clearly I needed these - which are, again, surprisingly comfortable!

I do love me a wedge shoe. And a woman has to have new shoes for her birthday. It's one of The Rules!

SHOESday: Flatforms!

It's been a while, you know, since I bought new shoes. I decided to rectify that yesterday.

These are the result:

They are so extremely comfortable!

And perfect to elongate a short-ish person without having to wear high heels.

They are basically flat shoes with a platform - or, as I prefer to call them - flatforms! (yep, I totally think I'm SO CLEVER for that one!)

SHOESday: Beaded beauties

I found these shoes while hunting around the "final reductions" sale rack at Myer about 6 or 7 years ago. They were so pretty (and cheap) that even though I had nothing to wear with them, I had to buy them.

I might have also ignored the fact that they were so scratchy that I could only wear them if I put a huge bandaid type thing on my foot underneath the so, so pretty beaded strap.

(sigh!) I did make sure that I bought some clothes I could wear with them, and a box of sticking plaster stuff that I could cut to size.

They have languished in the bottom of the large shoe box under the bed for a while now. I wonder if I could cut the straps off and use them on something else? Hmm, crafty ideas abound!